The present invention relates to an inflatable restraint for a vehicle occupant.
Airbags are increasingly fitted as standard equipment on production vehicles in the U.S. and in the European market. An airbag mounted on a steering column to protect the driver and an airbag mounted in the dashboard to protect the passenger is a typical arrangement for providing occupant protection in the event of a front end collision. In a typical airbag system a sensor is strategically placed on the vehicle and operation of the sensor is arranged to fire a pyrotechnic gas generator to inflate the airbag.
Side airbag protection systems are also known which protect the driver/passenger in the event of a side impact.
One such side airbag protection system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5480181. That document discloses a braided tubular bag which is arranged to contract longitudinally as the diameter of the tube increases. In a deflated state the tube is arranged along the door pillar and the roof rail of the vehicle. In the event of an impact the tube is inflated by a gas generator. The tube contracts longitudinally and forms a taut semi-rigid structural member across the vehicle side window. However, that system provides little protection against ingress of broken glass from the window and other foreign bodies. Also, the inflated tube is relatively rigid and may not, therefore, provide the most desirable form of cushioning for the driver or passenger whose head impacts the tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,414 teaches a side impact restraint system having a deployment mechanism that includes a gas generator, a track and a projectile that slides in the track.
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an inflatable restraint for a vehicle occupant comprising an inflatable curtain, and a deployment member for moving the curtain into an occupant protection position. By using such an inflatable curtain, improved occupant cushioning can be achieved thereby reducing injury to a driver or passenger but without sacrificing deployment speed. Inflating means may be provided to inflate the curtain.
The deployment member may be elongate and preferably contracts longitudinally to deploy the curtain. The deployment member may be a flexible member for convenient stowage in the vehicle. The deployment member may itself be inflatable and, in such a case, may comprise a tube. The tube may comprise an outer tube enclosing a gas impermeable tube, the gas impermeable tube being connected, in use, to said inflating means. The outer tube may be braided whereby, upon inflation, the tube increases in diameter and contracts longitudinally so as to deploy the curtain.
In another embodiment the deployment member may be a resilient member. In such a case, the resilient member may be held in an extended state under tension when the inflatable curtain is in its undeployed state and the resilient deployment member may be released so as to deploy the curtain. The resilient member may be held under tension by a latch. The latch may be actuated by a solenoid. The solenoid may be operable by a pressure sensor connected to the inflating means. Alternatively, the solenoid may be operable on receipt of a signal, said signal also initiating the inflating means.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle having therein an inflatable restraint according to the first aspect of the invention or any of the consistory clauses relating thereto. The curtain is preferably located inside the vehicle to one side thereof. The curtain may be located along one whole side of the vehicle. Alternatively, one curtain may be located at the front of the vehicle and another curtain may be located at the rear. The front and rear curtains may overlap. The curtain may be located in a slot in a roof rail of the vehicle and/or in a slot in the door pillar of the vehicle.